Chapter 17 Abnormal Psychology

Abnormal Behavior versus Psychological Disorders Abnormal behavior is defined by culture. Psychological disorders are defined by psychologists and psychiatrists (in Western culture).

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) Characterized by inattention, overactivity, and impulsivity Diagnosed in school-aged children, mostly male 15 percent of school-aged population in the United States have been diagnosed Increasing numbers of children diagnosed with ADHD may be a reflection of changing social expectations, rather than an increase in the frequency of this neurological condition

Prevalence of Mental Disorders One in every five people living in the United States If chemical dependencies are included, the figure increases to about 1 out of 3

The Medical versus the Psychological Model Medical model Disordered thoughts and behavior are the result of a diseased or otherwise malfunctioning brain Psychological model An individual's past and present life experiences cause and maintain a psychological disorder

Organic versus Functional Disorders Organic mental disorders Mental disorders that are caused by brain dysfunction Example: general paresis Freud's "psychosis” Functional mental disorders The brain appears to be normal Example: depression Freud's "neurosis”

Standardization of Diagnostic Terms Psychiatrists and psychologists created the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Published by the American Psychiatric Association Revised version DSM-IV published in 1994 Recognizes over 200 different forms of mental disorder Arranged in 17 categories

The Five Axes of the DSM-IV

The Frequency of Major Mental Disorders in the United States As a group, anxiety disorders are the most common form of mental illness in the United States. Depression is the most common single disorder.

Four Types of Anxiety Disorders Phobic disorder - an anxiety disorder characterized by a persistent, inappropriate fear of an object or situation Generalized anxiety disorder - a mental disorder that is characterized by a persistent, inappropriate anxiety for which there is no apparent cause Panic disorder - a disorder characterized by recurring rushes of paralyzing anxiety that may last for several minutes Obsessive-compulsive disorder - a disorder characterized by obsessions and compulsions

The Prevalence of Phobias The most common simple phobias are a paralyzing fear of snakes, insects, and other small, moving life forms Many people also have social phobias and agoraphobia

The Prevalence of Phobias

Common Obsessive Thoughts and Compulsions OCD is characterized by obsessions (persistent, uncontrollable thoughts) and compulsions (ritualized behaviors) Individuals with OCD typically have more than one obsession and follow multiple rituals

Somatoform Disorders Hypochondriasis Somatization disorders Conversion disorders

Glove Anesthesia

Subtypes of Dissociative Disorders Dissociative fugue Dissociative amnesia Depersonalization disorder Dissociative identity disorder

Distinguishing Features of Clinical Depression There are five ways in which clinical depression differs from lesser forms Twice as many women as men are diagnosed with this disorder

Ten Facts About Suicide

The Adaptiveness of Mood Disorders Some people may be genetically predisposed to mental illness Sadness and depression may be adaptive in signaling the need for change

Symptoms of Schizophrenia Incoherent thinking Delusions Hallucinations A deterioration of adaptive behavior Disturbance of affect

Types of Schizophrenia Disorganized type characterized by incoherent thought patterns Paranoid type characterized by thoughts of persecution or grandiose thinking Catatonic type characterized by muscular rigidity accompanied by lack of responsiveness

Causes of Schizophrenia Genetic factors If one identical twin is schizophrenic, the other has a 50 percent chance of developing this disorder Physiological factors The dopamine hypothesis is based on the fact that schizophrenic symptoms diminish with drugs that block certain dopamine receptors, and that amphetamine stimulates dopamine receptors, producing schizophrenia-like symptoms Environmental factors Certain environmental factors seem to trigger schizophrenic symptoms, as predicted by the diathesis-stress model EE studies indicate that schizophrenic patients returning home from an institution have higher relapse rates than others when family members express negativity toward them

Categories of Personality Disorders